Folding
by erinv0725
Summary: Daryl helps Carol fold some laundry and he gets something unexpected in return.


**Rinse Cycle**

 _This is oneshot, possibly a twofer depending on how well the reciprocation is…just lemme know, this is my first attempt at fanfic, smutty fanfic at that._

 _(set in Season 6 right after Carol kisses Tobin; this begins the next day, Daryl saw the whole thing. I know I said this was gonna be AU but forgot until I got halfway done, sorry. If this is a success maybe next time)_

Carol entered her bedroom from the ensuite bathroom. She had been keeping herself busy all morning: cooking, dishes, cleaning weapons, feeding Judith, and now it was time for laundry. She loved taking care of the others but sometimes it began to be too much. She often thought, yearned even, for someone to take care of her and not just anyone, but Daryl. She thought when they were at the farm that there had been something brewing between them, so many nights she had thought surely it would come to a head and they would mold together and stop the dance they were doing around each other. Days, weeks, months on the road, the prison, the road again, Atlanta, the church, being exiled, Terminus, and now Alexandria; there was never any time. Her and Daryl were always the protectors, watching out for everyone, keeping watch, worrying, cooking, caring the guilt and the burden of the others and of their own sins. When would it stop?

When they had arrived in Alexandria she thought the change of pace, the proximity of the houses, the time would be enough to bring her and Daryl back to what they had been. She missed the lone wolf, the man who so many times had saved her, she desperately wanted him to save her again. He was the only one that could pull her back from the brink of destroying herself. She had freezed him out long ago, thinking he wanted nothing from her; their relationship had drastically changed, along with themselves and the ever-changing landscape. She knew she loved Daryl, she craved him, wanted him, needed him, ached for him. She often wondered what could have been. She fantasized about intimacy with him but then she felt guilty, he was her best-friend and Ed had made sure that she believed no man would ever want to lay his hands on her again.

She was wandering the halls and rooms of the house she shared with Daryl, Michonne, Rick, Carl, and Judith. Seeing the mess all around the house felt like nothing had changed since before the apocalypse, kids clothes thrown all over the floor, even the men couldn't find the hamper to save their lives. Michonne was the only one who was able to help maintain some order. She had collected all of the dirty clothes and began walking to the laundry room with her arms full. As she was walking Daryl had just come in from a scouting mission with Aaron and had taken a shower. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt, that's all that was clean. He saw Carol struggling with carrying the loads and grabbed some from her.

"Whatcha doin'?" Daryl said

"What's it look like I'm doing?"

Daryl flinched at the shortness of her tone and stepped backwards. "was just offering up some help, looked like you were struggling there"

"I'm fine, just tired like everyone else"

Daryl looked at her from the side of his eyes, she had changed. He noticed everything about her, her posture was different, her smile never reached her eyes, she was short and sarcastic and always on the lookout. He missed Carol, HIS Carol. He gave up long ago that she could ever return his feelings. He had never been one for a relationship but he was willing to be with her, just her. All the times he had lost her and all the time that had gone by, he felt like he was cursed. He believe he didn't deserve anything good or beautiful in his life, and what he wanted that was good and beautiful was Carol.

When they first arrived in Alexandria they had already been pulled apart but it just got worse as Carol put up her dependent, housewife persona. He didn't even recognize her anymore, he didn't want to push her even further away so he gave her the space she required.

"can you hand me the detergent if you are just going to stand in the way?" Carol said bringing Daryl out of his haze of the past.

"Lemme help ya…" Daryl said stepping out of the way instead of handing her the detergent.

"I'm find Daryl, I do this all the time, I've gotten it down to a science, I'm sure you have something better or more important to do. I've got two loads of clothes to fold, I'm putting this one in the wash, and then three more behind this one" she wouldn't even look at him.

"I can help you fold, might not be very good at the washing, but I can figure out how to fold" Daryl said, he was desperately trying to spend time with her, get her just to look at him.

"Sure" Carol replied as she began separating and folding

An awkward silence fell over them as the first thing Daryl grabbed was a pair of lacy, cheeky panties. They were black satin with lace, he simply held them and looked at Carol as his face burned a bright shade of pink. She finally looked up as the silence became deafening and caught sight of what he held in his hands, she blushed then reached for them as he pulled them back.

"These yours?" Daryl asked with a sense of sarcasm in his voice

"What difference does it make?" Carol replied reaching again for the underwear, but to no avail could not grasp them.

"Well they sure as hell ain't Carl's"

Carol simply rolled her eyes and went back to folding. Daryl wasn't having it, he was sick and tired of her ignoring him, her eyes being empty, her soul was withering away and he couldn't do anything to stop it, he had to; so before he could think or stop himself…  
"you wear these for him?"

Carol stopped folding, keeping the shirt in her hands and she finally looked at him, her eyes were hollow and she didn't reply. She just stood there and stared at him with cold eyes and gritted teeth.

"Did you sleep with him?" Daryl asked as she remained silent.

"What I do and who I do it with stopped being your concern a long time ago Daryl, you haven't even spent 10 minutes with me since we've been here"

He took this as a yes and started pacing, he was livid, he couldn't imagine that man's hands on her; he didn't want anyone to touch her.

"Did you enjoy it? Did you want it? I'm impressed lumberjack, pancake boy could even get it up."

"Daryl, who are you talking about? Have you been spying on me?"

She continued to fold the shirt she had been gripping, rolled her eyes and started ignoring him again. Daryl was fuming even more now, he walked over to where she was with the underwear in hand; grabbed her arm to stop her from folding and screamed "look at me dammit!"

She looked into his eyes and she lost it, "are you happy now? I'm looking at you, I'm looking right at you Daryl and I feel hopeless, yes they are mine, maybe I did wear them for him, what difference does it make? What difference does anything make anymore? Just leave me the hell alone"

He grabbed her head with both of his hands, releasing the hold he had on her arm and said "I saw you, I saw you with him, you kissed him and he kissed you back. Did he have you? Did you give yourself to him?" Carol was crying now, she couldn't look at him in his eyes and Daryl was begging, pleading for an answer.

Carol was shaking her head and trying to push away from him. He was relentless, he wouldn't stop holding her and begging her to look at him. He put his forehead against hers, when she calmed and her breathing went back to normal with their heads together Carol spoke, "I was going to, I had all intentions of having sex with him. I needed to feel something but I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it because it wasn't you"

Daryl gasped and looked up into her tear-filled eyes. Minutes ticked by and Daryl turned away from her and picked up the panties that were now laying on the table. She thought he was just going to go back to folding but he surprised her. When Daryl finally spoke he was fiddling with the underwear and said "I've been waiting to hear that since the farm. Why'd it take you so damn long woman?"

He turned to look at her, not waiting for her to answer. He looked her right in the eyes, invading her space and lifted the panties between them as an offering, "wear them for me"

Carol was hesitant, but he did not back down. She reached her hand out and took hold of the panties, their hands lingered. His eyes changed to lust-filled and dark as he stared at her. He was serious, she began to feel flutters of fear and of hope in her abdomen. This was her choice, there would be no going back. Was she ready to give herself to him after all this time? Carol took the panties from Daryl's hands and turned to go behind the room divider. He saw the answer in her eyes and the gentle smirk she gave him as she released his hand. Would she trust him, could he do this?

Daryl began chewing on his thumbnail and began to doubt his actions then he heard Carol step out from behind the room divider and what he saw took the breath from his lungs. He had never seen anything as beautiful as the sight before him. Carol stood there in those damn black panties, and a simple cami with no bra. He took in her beauty, her silver hair with the soft curls, her perfect neck that led to her perfect collarbones; how he wanted to touch them, to lick them. Further down to her breasts that were heaving from the nervousness of her breathing; through the cami he could see the outline of her aroused nipples and suddenly he craved to suck one through the shirt, to see it become soaked because of him. Her flat stomach was next, her curved hips, the spot between her legs, the long, slender legs and then to her bare feet. He couldn't move, he was glued to the spot he was standing in and all of a sudden his boldness from 10 minutes ago had dissipated and he felt like he was 16 and about to cum in his pants if she moved.

Carol was unbelievably nervous but knew if she didn't act on Daryl's eagerness and willingness this would never happen again. She walked up to him slowly, their eyes never leaving each other. She reached for his hand, he took it. She took his hand and slowly brought it up to her breast, "do you want me Daryl?" They were staring at each other, the unanswered question between them, his hand on her almost bare breast. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he had to give her an answer. He couldn't speak so he left his hand on her breast and leaned in and he kissed her. He kissed her with years' worth of want, longing, and passion. He started slowly, a chaste kiss, then as her breath picked up he began licking, running his tongue along her lips, slowly entering into her mouth, tasting her for the first time and she responded to him. It was a frantic mating of tongues and lips, nipping, biting, teasing, and tasting each other. They stopped and leaned their heads together, Carol placed her hand back ontop of his on her breast and sighed the words "touch me"

Daryl did not hesitate, he wanted this woman, had wanted her for a long time. He knew he loved her but didn't want to scare her off so he would touch her. He ran his hands through her hair, and dipped her head back to give him access to her neck. He kissed lightly behind her ear, down her neck to her collarbones. He was running his hands up and down her back, couldn't believe he was here, he was touching her and she was willing. He parted from her long enough to discard the t-shirt that he had been wearing leaving him in only his boxers. He turned Carol around bringing her back to his chest, they were skin to skin. He grabbed her hips pulling her back into him, letting her feel his growing erection. She audibly gasped and her right arm went behind her to grab his neck as he worshiped her neck from behind. They were grinding against each other like they couldn't get enough and then he spoke into her hair so softly she barely heard him "I love you, Carol" She stopped abruptly and turned around. When she looked at him she had tears shimmering in her beautiful blue eyes, she simply lifted her hand to touch his cheek, caressing it. She took a moment, closed her eyes and let out a breath "I love you, too…now show me"

Daryl grinned and began kissing her again. He slowly hooked his hands into the bottom of the cami and lifted it over her head. He stepped back and just admired her "you're so damn beautiful" She didn't allow him to look too long, walking forward and grabbing his neck to bring him down into a toe-curling kiss. He backed her up to the folding table and lifted her by her ass to set her on the table. She parted her legs for him to step in between them and he scooted her to the edge of the table. He began rubbing himself against her heat and laid her down kissing down her abdomen till he got to those damn panties. He looked up at her and as she made eye contact with him, he cupped her heat and leaned over her body to kiss her. The kiss was full of so much passion she thought she would melt. She arched up on the table as Daryl began kissing down her body yet again. His palm was rubbing against her center just right, causing her to moan. All of a sudden he stopped and leaned his face down to where her panties were and hovered, breathing slowly over the spot she wanted him the most. He looked up at her, they made eye contact and he kissed her there. He kissed her over her panties and with a sigh "I have to taste you"

He slowly hooked his fingers in the sides of her panties and slid them painfully slow down her legs. He leaned back down and slowly parted her legs to look at her. She was beautiful. He took his time, kissing up and down the inside of her thighs, and when he got to her core he licked her. He licked her so torturously slow and began kissing those lips like he had just kissed her upper lips. He took his time. He was worshipping her with his tongue, he licked and sucked and nipped from her entrance to her clit and as her breathing increased, with her hands in his hair she breathed a low "Daryl"  
He slowly added fingers to the motions. He inserted one finger, she was so wet. Then he added another. She began to arch and grind with wild abandon and the fingers in his hair grasped so tightly to pull him up to look at her. His lips were glistening with her arousal as he looked at her and she said "I want you inside of me, I need to feel you" He pulled his fingers from her and slid his boxers down to discard them. He climbed on top of her on the table, they were now skin to skin; how it should've always been. She pulled him down to her lips and cupped his ass bringing his arousal up against her heat and they both moaned in pleasure. She parted her legs so wide as her arms suddenly released from around him and she hooked them on the underside of the table. He leaned up on his arms and he looked at the woman underneath him. She was looking at him with so much love in her eyes, her arms behind her head gripping and preparing for their joining, her legs parted and her center dripping with her arousal; all for him. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, he would love her and protect her until their lives were over. He gripped himself, lined himself up with her and slowly, painfully slow entered her. Her body absorbed him, like they were always meant to dance this dance together.

Once she adjusted to their joining and he was sure he wasn't going to lose it too early they began thrusting, moving together as one. As he thrusted her back arched and her nipples grazed his chest. He flailed his arms and all of the laundry that had been folded went falling to the ground. He was going crazy and as he moved further to hover above her it changed the angle and they both found the perfect rhythm. His thrusting started to become erratic and her movements became even more wanton. He had one hand by her head and the other crept inbetween them to rub her clit. She took one of her arms and grabbed hold of his cheek "open your eyes Daryl, look at me" He opened his eyes and their eyes connected and in the moment everything was right, they were at peace and they had each other. Daryl began moving faster and faster and Carol was meeting him thrust for thrust and he said "tell me your mine, Carol; I have to hear you say it"

"I'm yours Daryl, always"

As he heard her say these words he came inside of her. She began clamping around him as her orgasm burst forward; they both came undone together and it was the culmination of something beautiful at the end of the world.

As there breathing returned to normal they laid together, Daryl stroking her hair and holding her. "I missed you" she said burying her face into his chest. He pulled her closer to him as he responded "you won't have to miss me anymore, you won't get rid of me again. We saved each other too many times to lose each other again"

"I meant what I said, I love you Daryl. I didn't just say that because of sex. I am yours, I never could've slept with Tobin, my heart has always belonged to you"

"I love you, too. To think this probably never would've happened without those panties" he responded as his lips lifted up in a smirk.

She grinned at him, both of them turning red.

They kissed a sweet kiss and as they were both being pulled under to sleep she heard him chuckle and say softly "maybe next time we do laundry, we can set it on the rinse cycle?"  
They both giggled "maybe, Pookie"  
He had missed that so much, maybe she was coming back to him.  
He would spend the rest of his life fighting for HIS Carol, that was the last thought he had as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

"Maybe next time we do laundry together we can set it on the rinse cycle?"


End file.
